Celtic Salt, Himalayan Salt & other Salts

Salt is not good for us if we have too much of it or consume a denatured version of it. So when IS salt good for us?

Humans originated from the salty Oceans that bathe our Earth and even now our pre-natal young are nurtured in saline styled amniotic fluids. Our blood plasma has the makeup of a saline solution. Our cells need salt for optimum processing. Our planet is 70% salt water. It is hard to believe that we could have evolved on this green blue planet without being safe with and perhaps even dependant upon sea salt. So how could this abundant substance be bad for us?

Trace elements and Minerals

Whole salt has got over 95 trace elements and minerals in perfect balance and the tiniest amount of the right kind of salt can be remarkably good for our health. As you are not going to have much salt in your diet my advice is to ensure that the salt you do have is of the best possible pedigree.

“Use salt internally as a supplement. Use salt externally for detox.”

Salt as a supplement

Although I love all the personalites that salts from around the planet have, my absolute favorite for supplementation is the French Celtic ‘Grey’ damp salt. It’s more bio-available to us as it still damp and whole & it is created from pristine modern Oceans. It looks like crushed up grey slush and if you are lucky you may open a pack of this salt to discover a grain or two of mineral rich clay from the actual salt pans or a straggle of sea weed in among the crystals.

I know many therapists recommend Himalayan salt over French Celtic ‘Grey’ salt however my argument is that although there are similar quantities of trace elements and minerals in the Himalyan salt, the Himalayan salt predates our own DNA by many millions of years. Not so for the French.

I’m also not convinced that the Himalayan salt is as pure as it is marketed to be. I could only find ONE international supplier able to provide any form of chemical analysis to reassure me that the Himalyan salt was laboratory certified as food grade – it should be no suprise to you to guess who I buy my Himalayan Salt from!

I feel that our Inner Oceans have a need for salt bourne from ‘expression’. Water tumbles and splashes and play and so I love a salt that emerges from the vitality of the Oceans, it will have the movement still active within it. The Himalayan salt, although beautiful, has laid dormant for millions of years. It’s asleep!

Salt for external detox

If I were to look for a whole salt for detoxing then I adore the Himalayan. Dead Sea Salts or Epsom salts can also be used although the use of Dead Sea Salts is unsustainable at current volumes and Epsom salts are not as natural now that they tend to be manufactured in laboratories.

Lying in a warm salty bath

When you have a bath in any kind of salt water you shouldn’t underestimate the toll it will take on your body…even if you are seemingly just lying there in warm water there will be a lot going on. It’s worth pointing out that a Himalayan salt bath doesn’t seem to put a strain on my body in the same way as being in a bath laced with Dead Sea Salts or Epsom salts.

What about a footbath?

If you don’t want a full on bath or you are concerned that it might put too much pressure on your circulation, why not try a footbath version and dangle the soles of your feet in salty water for 15minutes instead.

What about a skin scrub?

I also love to use fine ground Himalayan salt as an exfoliating skin scrub. It sluices off dead skin cells without damaging my sensitive skin.

Here are some ideas for how to use the salts. Let me know how you get on!

Footbath: Add a handful or two of fine grade Himalayan salt to a plastic basin of warm water. The water should reach just below your ankles when you put your feet flat on the bottom of the bowl. Don’t make the water too hot. Your feet will be detoxed via the soles of your feet and it can be remarkably effective in a short time. Feet should be out of the water after 15mins and towelled dry.

*Please don’t use any kind of electrical product while you have your feet in water. Electricity and salt water don’t make for a safe or nurturing partnership!

Soak bath: Add a teacupful or two of fine grade Himalayan salt to a bath of warm water. The water should reach just below tummy button when you sit in the bath. Don’t make the water too hot as you could get sleepy, faint or put too much pressure on your circulation. Avoid this salt soak if you are Pregnant or Diabetic or have any other challenge that could make warm salt baths a no-no.

Skin scrub: Drizzle a little natural oil into to a half teacupful of fine grained salt crystals. Drizzle the oil in and mix well until what you have looks like pureed apples! – olive, sweet almond, grapeseed or apricot kernel oils are good. Shower your skin down and let the water run off you a bit. Stir the salt mix again. Use your fingers to scoop out some salt scrub and gently apply it to your skin in circular motions. When you’ve finished applying the salt scrub shower yourself down again thoroughly and pat your skin dry with a fresh towel. Be careful not to slip as not all the oil will have been flushed from the shower floor. Also, don’t rub this mix into your eyes, ears, intimate areas or into areas of the skin that are cut or damaged.

Isotonic Action: I add a grain or two of the French Grey damp Coarse salt to a high carb juice or smoothie to boost my ability to replace fluids lost through sweating.

Hypotonic Action: I add a grain or two of the French Grey damp Coarse salt to a low or no- carb juice or smoothie to boost my ability to replace fluids lost through sweating

Hydration Boost: I add a grain or two of the French Grey damp Coarse salt to a 1litre drinking bottle to boost my ability to take in fluids. I sip at this water through the day.